


The ABC's (or O's) of Relationships

by my_angry_angel



Category: The Avengers (Marvel Movies)
Genre: Alpha/Beta/Omega Dynamics, Gen, M/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2013-11-03
Updated: 2014-02-20
Packaged: 2017-12-31 08:39:37
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 1,648
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1029624
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/my_angry_angel/pseuds/my_angry_angel
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Bruce Banner is an Omega. One of the rare male Omegas in the world. He's kept it under wraps this long, but what happens when the secret comes out?</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Imprint

Bruce didn’t even want to be at the party. For one thing, he didn’t even like parties to begin with. For another thing, he’d gone into heat that morning. But, as Mr. Stark constantly reminded him, Bruce owed him. Big time. A few years back, Stark had gotten him out of a bad situation, even given him a job.  
  
After a meteoric rise, he’d spearheaded a project to develop crop seeds that grew to maturity in half the time. Meaning farmers could produce twice the food. He’d spoken with Mr. Stark and got him to agree to put a clause in the contracts of anyone buying the seeds: the excess food had to be given back to Stark Industries, where it would be flown to third world countries and distributed free of charge. The party was to celebrate the company taking the seeds public. As the project leader, Bruce had to be there.  
  
He figured he’d hang out at the edge of the room, make his speech, pose for a few pictures, then hightail it out of there as fast as he could. Thankfully the night was cool, and Bruce was able to spend most of his time on the balcony, cooling the sweat his heat and the tight clothes brought on.  
  
A hand descended on his shoulder, and Bruce flinched away, whirling around. God, he thought as he tried to calm down. Ten years and I still haven’t broken that habit. He shook his head and focused on the newcomer’s face. One of Stark’s many employees hired to work the party. Bruce couldn’t remember the guy’s name, if he ever knew it at all. “Mr. Banner, it’s time for your speech.” The man seemed oblivious to Bruce’s reaction to the touch, and the sheen of sweat covering his forehead.  
  
“Right,” Bruce murmured with a nod, trying to calm his racing heart. He could do this. He’d given speeches before, but never while in heat. But if he was lucky, he could blame the signs of heat on the stress. He made his way toward the raised dais at the front of the room, reaching the steps just as Mr. Stark was wrapping up his introduction speech. God, he made it look so easy.  
  
There was a smattering of light applause as Bruce stepped up to the microphone. Thankfully, he didn’t have to worry about note cards or remembering his speech; there was a screen attached to the podium, invisible from everywhere in the room except right behind the lectern. All Bruce had to do was write his speech, upload it to the database, and it would scroll along the screen as he spoke.  
  
The speech passed in a bit of a blur, and before he knew it, he was stepping away from the podium so the photographers could get their pictures. Mr. Stark came up on stage, his million-watt smile on full power, and together they took a few pictures. Finally, they seemed to get their fill and Bruce was allowed to step down.  
  
“Got a few more people who want to meet you, then you can go,” Mr. Stark murmured. “Got a room set up for you so you don’t have to be alone.” Of course Mr. Stark knew that he was in heat. Since they’d first met, he hadn’t been able to hide it from his boss.  
  
“Thanks,” he murmured, ducking out from under Mr. Stark’s arm. “Who are these people you’ve got me meeting?”  
  
“People who’ll help me make sure the food makes it to the right people, the right amount of food gets sent back here...people like that,” Mr. Stark answered with a shrug. “Don’t worry, it won’t take long.”  
  
Bruce felt an itching at the back of his neck and turned to survey the room. But he didn’t see anything out of the ordinary, so he turned back to the line of people waiting to meet him. Despite Stark’s assurance, it took several minutes for him to meet and politely chat with each of them. By the time he’d met them all, he was starting to get more than a little overwhelmed, even with Mr. Stark’s constant presence by his side. But finally, the last one walked away and Bruce breathed a sigh of relief.  
  
“Can I just get out of here now?” he whispered, looking down.  
  
“Sure. Usual room’s yours for as long as you need it.”  
  
Before Bruce started walking away, he felt that same itch on his neck and looked around again. This time, he saw a guy on the other side of the room, staring at him. As soon as their eyes met, it was like a bolt of lightning hit him. He couldn’t breathe and the urge he’d had all day, the urge to present himself to every Alpha he saw, suddenly intensified. Except now it wasn’t every Alpha. Just this one.  
  
“Oh my god, Tony...” he whispered. “Who is that?”


	2. Chapter 2

Shit. Bruce’s pheromones had suddenly spiked. Even through the cologne Tony had designed to cover the scent of an Omega in heat, he could smell the man’s desire. And Tony could feel his body responding. He tried focusing on Bruce’s question, and looked around to see who he was talking about. But all he could see was every Alpha and Beta in a quickly widening circle turning to look at them, responding to the silent call Bruce’s body was sending out.  
  
Suddenly Steve appeared out of the crowd, and Tony breathed a sigh of relief. Steve was an Alpha male if there ever was one. His pheromones probably wouldn’t completely cover Bruce’s, but they’d definitely help. And if anyone could be trusted not to lose control around an Omega giving off that strong a scent, it was Steve. “Get him to his room,” Tony said softly, nudging Bruce toward the other man. Meanwhile Bruce was desperately straining toward whoever he’d seen. “Stay with him until I get there, okay?”  
  
Tony knew that expression. Bruce had just imprinted. That should make it pretty easy to find the other person. Whoever it was would have that same look on their face: stricken, needy, like their world had just fallen apart. As Steve led Bruce away, Tony looked around again, trying to find one person in a sea of faces. Most of them were staring after the retreating Omega, who was still trying to pull away from Steve. He was looking over his shoulder.  
  
Tony remembered when he and Steve had imprinted. They hadn’t wanted to take their eyes off each other for days afterwards. So the direction Bruce was looking should help narrow it down. Tony started pushing his way through the crowd, heading toward where Bruce was looking. The circle of scent didn’t seem to extend that far, so most everybody was still mingling casually. But there was one man heading after the pair, his expression almost a mirror image to Bruce’s.  
  
Tony adjusted his course and cut him off at the door. “Hi,” he said, his most winning smile on his face. “Tony Stark. “We need to talk.”  
  
“It can wait,” the guy said, trying to push his way past him. Judging by his clothes and mannerisms, he was a bodyguard. And, as such, he’d be able to take Tony out if he wanted to.  
  
“It really can’t,” Tony insisted, blocking the way as best as he could. “Look, I know what’s going on. I know you just imprinted and you’re trying to find the man you imprinted on. But here’s the thing. Bruce is a really good friend, and he’s been in a shitty relationship before. So before I let you meet him, I need to know something.” The guy finally looked away from the hall and met Tony’s eyes, as if he’d realized the gravity of the situation. “Are you going to treat him right, or are you going to treat him like most people treat male Omegas?”  
  
He really hoped he didn’t have to elaborate. As much as people hated to admit it, there was a caste system in place in society. And male Omegas were definitely at the bottom of the ladder. Most people treated them as less than human, as property to be bought and sold. And Bruce, unfortunately, had seen the worst side of the seedy underbelly of society early on. Tony didn’t know all the details, but that was where he’d found Bruce all those years ago.  
  
“What’s it to you?” the guy asked, taking advantage of the lull in Tony’s defense to push past him into the hall.  
  
“Like I said,” Tony replied, easily catching up to him. “Bruce is a friend. I’ve saved him from one bad situation already. I won’t hesitate to save him again. And the best way to do that is make sure I don’t have to. I know where he went, you don’t. And even if you somehow manage to find him without my help, he’s with someone who could easily take you out. You say the wrong thing, or don’t answer my question, and I’ll personally make sure you never get within fifty feet of him.” He knew doing that would hurt Bruce too, but not as much as getting back into another abusive relationship. “So. You gonna treat him right, or treat him like a piece of property?”  
  
“God, I’m going to treat him right, whatever that means. Now either tell me where he is, or get out of my way!”  
  
Tony looked him over, assessing his words. He seemed sincere, but only time would tell. For now, though, he didn’t seem to want to hurt Bruce, and that was the big thing. “He’s this way,” Tony said, leading him toward Bruce’s usual room. Ground floor, because he was afraid of heights. “So what’s your name?”  
  
“Barton,” the guy answered, bouncing up and down impatiently as he walked. “Clint Barton.”


End file.
